LOCATION KARLOFF MTEstablished Series
TAXONOMIC CLASS: Ashy-skeletal, glassy Ustivitrandic Haplocryepts
TYPICAL PEDON: Karloff very cobbly ashy sandy loam, in forest (colors are for dry soil unless otherwise noted).
Oi--0 to 1 inch; partially decomposed needles, twigs and leaves.
A--1 to 3 inches; dark gray (10YR 4/1) very cobbly ashy sandy loam, very dark brown (10YR 2/2) moist; weak medium subangular blocky structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium roots; 15 percent cobbles and 25 percent gravel; neutral (pH 7.2); clear wavy boundary. (0 to 3 inches thick)
E--3 to 9 inches; light brownish gray (2.5Y 6/2) gravelly ashy sandy loam, dark grayish brown (10YR 4/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine pores; 20 percent gravel; moderately acid (pH 6.0); clear wavy boundary. (3 to 8 inches thick)
Bw--9 to 16 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak medium prismatic structure parting to moderate medium subangular blocky; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; many very fine and fine roots and few medium and coarse roots; many very fine pores; 5 percent cobbles and 35 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); clear wavy boundary.
BC--16 to 27 inches; light gray (2.5Y 7/2) very gravelly ashy sandy loam, grayish brown (2.5Y 5/2) moist; weak coarse prismatic structure; slightly hard, very friable, nonsticky and nonplastic; common very fine and fine roots; common fine pores; 10 percent cobbles and 40 percent gravel; slightly acid (pH 6.2); gradual wavy boundary. (Combined thickness of B horizons is 15 to 30 inches.)
Cr--27 to 35 inches; light gray (5Y 7/1) decomposing welded tuff bedrock that crushes to very gravelly ashy sandy loam; neutral (pH 6.6). (5 to 9 inches thick)
R--35 inches; light gray hard fractured welded tuff bedrock.
TYPE LOCATION: Deer Lodge County, Montana; 950 feet south and 1000 feet west of the NE corner of sec. 13, T. 3 N., R. 11 W.
RANGE IN CHARACTERISTICS:
Mean annual soil temperature - 32 to 40 degrees F.
Mean summer soil temperature - 40 to 46 degrees F.
Moisture control section - between 8 and 24 inches.
Volcanic glass - 30 to 50 percent in the coarse silt and sand fraction.
Acid oxalate Al + 1/2 Fe - .12 to .20 percent
Depth to Cr horizon - 20 to 38 inches.
Depth to R horizon - 25 to 40 inches.
Surface stones and boulders - 0 to 0.1 percent
A horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 3, or 4 dry; 2 or 3 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: ashy sandy loam or ashy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 45 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 15 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
E horizon - Hue: 10YR or 2.5Y
Value: 5 or 6 dry, 4 or 5 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: ashy sandy loam, ashy loam or ashy loamy sand
Clay content: 5 to 18 percent
Rock fragments: 15 to 45 percent--0 to 15 percent cobbles and stones, 15 to 30 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
Bw and BC horizons - Hue: 10YR, 2.5Y or 5Y
Value: 5, 6 or 7 dry, 4, 5 or 6 moist
Chroma: 1 or 2
Texture: ashy coarse sandy loam, ashy sandy loam or ashy loam
Clay content: 10 to 20 percent
Rock fragments: 35 to 60 percent--5 to 20 percent cobbles and stones, 30 to 40 percent gravel
Reaction: pH 5.6 to 7.3
COMPETING SERIES: There are no competing series.
GEOGRAPHIC SETTING:
Landform- mountains and hills.
Elevation - 5,000 to 8,000 feet.
Slope - 4 to 70 percent.
Parent material - colluvium, alluvium and residuum from welded tuff or rhyolite bedrock.
Climate - long, cold winters; cool, moist springs; short, cool summers.
Mean annual precipitation - 18 to 30 inches.
Mean annual air temperature - 30 to 38 degrees F.
Frost-free period - 30 to 70 days.
GEOGRAPHICALLY ASSOCIATED SOILS: These are the Bendoh, Coslaw, Eremis, Illiano, and Judco soils. Bendoh soils are deep to a lithic contact and are not skeletal. Coslaw soils are shallow to a paralithic contact. Eremis soils are very deep and are not skeletal. Illiano soils are shallow to a lithic contact. Judco soils are deep to a paralithic contact. These soils are on similar landform postitions.
DRAINAGE AND PERMEABILITY: Well drained, moderately rapid permeability.
USE AND VEGETATION: Karloff soils are mainly used for woodland, understory grazing, watershed, and as wildlife habitat. The potential overstory vegetation is mainly subalpine fir, lodgepole pine, Englemann spruce and whitebark pine. Understory vegetation is mainly grouse whortleberry, elk sedge, common beargrass, Oregongrape, blue huckleberry, and pinegrass.
DISTRIBUTION AND EXTENT: Karloff soils are of small extent in southwestern Montana.
MLRA SOIL SURVEY REGIONAL OFFICE (MO) RESPONSIBLE: Bozeman, Montana
SERIES ESTABLISHED: Deer Lodge County, Montana, 1999.
REMARKS: Soil interpretive record: MT1745. Diagnostic horizons and features recognized in this pedon are: an ochric epipedon from 1 to 9 inches (A and E horizons); a cambic horizon from 9 to 27 inches (Bw and BC horizons); a particle size control section from 10 to 27 inches (Bw and BC horizons); a layer of decomposing welded tuff from 27 to 35 inches (Cr horizon); welded tuff bedrock at 35 inches (R horizon). Karloff soils have a cryic temperature regime and an ustic moisture regime bordering on udic.
The 3/2008 description reflects a change in classification from Ashy-skeletal, glassy Vitrandic Eutrocryepts to Ashy-skeletal, glassy Ustivitrandic Haplocryepts due to revision of the cryepts great groups and subgroups. The competing series section was not updated and should be reviewed after all the cryepts have been re-classified.